[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 119 (Thursday, July 10, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E653-E654]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING STAN BAKER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BECCA BALINT

                               of vermont

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 10, 2025

  Ms. BALINT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor the 
life and legacy of the Venerable J. Stannard ``Stan'' Baker, who passed 
away on June 23, 2025, at the age of 79. A devoted deacon in the 
Episcopal Church and a pioneering advocate for LGBTQI+ rights, Stan's 
impact on our Nation and on the Commonwealth of Vermont will endure for 
generations.
  Ordained in 2009, Stan served with distinction as Archdeacon of the 
Episcopal Diocese

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of Vermont and as chaplain to retired clergy. His ministry was marked 
by compassion, humility, and a fierce commitment to justice and 
healing. In every community he touched, he brought people together, 
building bridges of understanding and care.
  Before his ordained ministry, Stan excelled as a psychotherapist--co-
founding BTR Psychotherapy and serving as a Clinical Director and 
Mental Health Director--offering vital support to individuals and 
families facing difficult challenges.
  Stan's most enduring legacy, however, is his courageous role in Baker 
v. Vermont. As the lead plaintiff, Stan helped secure Vermont's 
groundbreaking civil unions law, making it the first state in the 
nation to grant legal recognition and benefits to same-sex couples. 
This landmark decision marked a turning point in the struggle for 
equality--a step so bold and historic that it helped lay the legal and 
moral foundation for marriage equality across the United States.
  So many LGBTQI+ Americans today can trace their right to marry the 
person they love back to the courage of Stan Baker and his fellow 
plaintiffs, who stood up at a time when few dared to do so. His action 
was not only a personal stand but a transformational moment in our 
Nation's history--one that reshaped the legal landscape and inspired a 
movement.
  His life was also a testament to love and partnership. Stan and his 
husband, Peter Harrigan, were among the first same-sex couples to enter 
into a civil union in Vermont--and they later married. Their story 
reflects both the personal and political progress that can emerge from 
courage and conviction.
  Stan was much more than a public advocate; he was a lover of music, a 
collector of books and fountain pens, a cello and guitar player, and a 
person of deep faith and generosity. He is survived by his husband 
Peter, whose grief is shared by all of us who knew and admired Stan.
  Today, we remember Stan Baker--not only for the victories he helped 
achieve, but for the kindness he expressed, the communities he 
strengthened, and the hope he inspired.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring his memory and 
recommitting ourselves to the values he embodied: justice, dignity, and 
love for all. May his life continue to guide us, and may we carry 
forward his legacy with courage and compassion.

                          ____________________